Wrench



June 20, 1939. 5, up s 2,163,283

WRENCH Filed Jan. 8, 1936 mmwwmml L WNW w INVENTOR.

51 6/7/66 Hu a /'5 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 20, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The invention relates to wrenches such as pipe wrenches and others of an adjustable type and more particularly to the means permitting of an adjustable opening and closingof the wrench 5.1;:jaws and for the locking of the jaws in adjusted position against separation.

An object of the invention is to provide a wrench of the character described which will permit of a simple and immediate adjustment of the wrench jaws to engage a nut or other member, and provide incidentto the application of torque to the member, for a closing movement of the jaws to insure a full and precise engagement of the latter with the member and 5. 22to apply a closing force on the jaws to securely grip the member therebetwee'n, the wrench being further arranged to provide incident to the application of a reverse torque for a slight opening of the jaws and a release of the aforesaid force and a loosening of the engaged members.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench of the character described which may be used to apply a turning force in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction and which,

% when used in one manner, will apply an increased closing pressure on the wrench jaws proportionately to the rotation-a1 force in accordance with the object above, and when used in an opposite direction will firmly maintain the jaws 411 adjusted position similar to. the fixed type of wrench. v

A further. object of the invention is to provide a wrench of the above character which will be constructed with a minimum number of parts 5 each designed to withstand rugged use for a substantially unlimited period.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following de- 40 scription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a wrench con- 50 structed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing one of the wrench jaws adjusted to a different position.

55 Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the wrench taken substantially on the plane of lin 33 of Figure l.

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views of the wrench and are taken substantially on the planes of lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively in Figure 2.

The wrench as shown in the accompanying drawing comprises a pair of jaw members 6 and 7 having opposed jaw faces 8 and 9 and slidably attached to each other to permit of a variable spacing of such faces. Pivoted to an end ll of the member 6, as by means of a pin [2, is a handle I3 which is provided adjacent its pivoted end with a gear M which is engageable with a curved rack l6 provided on the extremity of the member I for varying the spacing of the jaw faces 8 and 9.

Preferably the slidable connection between the members I and 8 is effected by forming the body of the member to the end H of a doublewall construction including spaced sides I! and I8 between which is slidably carried a reduced body portion l9 of the member I, the latter being formed with an enlargement 2| adjacent its outer end and a shoulder 22 adjacent the jaw face 9 for 'preventinga dislodgment of the portion H] from between the sides l1 and [8. Also the handle 13 is preferably provided with a reduced end 23 for engagement between the sides I! and I8 at the point of connection of the pin I2, and a shoulder 24 on the handle formed by such reduced portion cooperates with a portion 25 of the end II for limiting the pivotal movement between the handle and the member 6.

The rack l6 (and. the member 1) is held against fulcruming on the gear [4 in a direction increasing the spacing of the jaw faces 8 and 9 by means of the engagement of the enlargement 21 with the adjacent aligned edges 21 of the sides I! and 18. As will be understood, in order that the faces 8 and 9 may be maintained in substantially parallel relation for the various adjusted positions thereof, it is necessary that the member I be tilted or inclined from one position to another. This angular movement of the member 1 in the course of its movement to and from the jaw 6 is automatically provided for by the selection of the curvatures of the gear M, the rack l6, and. the side 21. As here shown, this arrangement is such that with the enlargement 2| engaged with the edge 21 and the rack engaged with the gear Hi, the faces 8 and 9 will be in substantially parallel relation regardless of the position of the rack on the gear and the corresponding spacing of the faces 8 and 9.

In the preferred use of the wrench the jaw members are first adjusted to approximately the size of, but slightly larger than, the work to be gripped and turned, and as the handle I3 is moved to close the jaws (counter-clockwise in Figure 1), and by pressing the jaw face 8 against the work, the jaw faces will be moved into precise fitting relation on the work, and the further application of a turning force to the handle will be accompanied by an increase of gripping pressure of the jaw faces 8 and 9 against the work. After the desired turning has been effected, a counter rotation of the handle (clockwise in Figure 1) will open the jaws and permit the release of the work. Since the jaws may be ad'- justed in practically all cases to substantiallythe size of the member to be gripped, only a limited pivotal movement of the handle need be provided for by the opposed surfaces 24 and .25 of the handle and jaw member 6 respectively.

When it is desired to use the wrench without the application of the gripping pressure aforesaid, the handle I3 is first positioned at the end of its clockwise movement relative to the jaw member 6, and the jaw member I is slid relative to the member 6 while holding the enlargement 2| against the edge 21 and the rack-l6 against the gear M to space the faces 8 and 9 a desired distance. This operation may be effected while the work is positioned between the jaws so as to enable a precise fitting of the jaw faces 8 and 9 against'the opposite sides of the Work. With the wrench thus adjusted and positioned; the application of a clockwise turning force to the handle l3 will be resisted by the work in the form of a torque action on the jaw member I tending to open the jaws by fulcruming the rack IS on the gear M. This fulcruming action of the member I is held by the engagement of the enlargement 2| against the edge 21 and thus no opening of the jaws will result. 7

If desired a spring member 3| may be mounted between the jaws 6 and I to hold the members during adjustment in operative relation, that is' 3| in an opening 32 provided in the body portion -l9 of the member I and which spring is compressed between the opposed sides I! and I8 of the jaw member 6.

I claim:

1. A wrench comprising, a jaw member having a jaw face and spaced body sides, a second jaw member slidably carried between said sides and having a jaw face opposed to said first jaw face and enlargements adjacent its ends to prevent withdrawal from said first member, said second member being provided with a curved rack, a handle pivoted to said first member and provided with a gear curved eccentrically to and engageable with said rack for varying the spacing of said faces, an edge of one of said first member sides being curved and cooperating with one of said enlargements and the curvatures of said rack and gear to maintain said jaw faces in substantially parallel relation and to prevent tached to permit adjustment of the spacing of said faces, one of said members being provided with a curved rack, a handle pivoted to the other member and provided with a gear curved eccentrically to and engageable with said rack for varying the spacing of said faces, one of said members having a curved exterior surface, and means on the other member slidably engaging said surface to maintain said jaw faces in substantially parallel relation and to preventfulcruming of said rack on said gearin a direction increasing the spacing of said faces.

3. A wrench comprising, a handle with tooth means on an end thereof, a jaw member pivotally mounted on said handle and having a jaw face and spaced body sides, a second jaw member slidably carried between said sides and having a rack at a side thereof and engageable with said tooth means and having a jaw face opposed to said first jaw face and enlargements adjacent its ends to prevent withdrawal from said first member, said rack and tooth means being operative upon pivotal movement of said handle relative to said first jaw member to vary the spacing of said jaw faces, and a curvedouter, edge on said first member engageable with one of said enlargements to maintain said jaw faces in constant angular relation during adjustment thereof and to prevent the ,fulcruming of said 0 

